Departure of two openly gay rabbinical students and three straight friends
from Machon Schechter highlights lingering differences.

05/11/2010

Michele Chabin

Israel Correspondent

Jerusalem — When, in 2007, the Conservative movement’s Jewish Theological Seminary decided to admit openly gay students for the first time, the decision presented these students with a dilemma: where to study during their mandatory third year in Israel.

Traditionally, JTS rabbinical students have spent their Israel year at Machon Schechter, the Israeli Masorti movement’s rabbinical seminary, which does not ordain openly gay students.

Jerusalem — Israel is a Mediterranean country, but over the years its diet has
become less about fruits, vegetables and olive oil, and more about fast food — which has fueled a childhood obesity problem similar to the one seen in America.

A young journalist faces life in prison for leaking classified military documents to Haaretz. Does she deserve it?

04/13/2010

Joshua Mitnick

Israel Correspondent

Tel Aviv — Israel’s confirmation last week that former soldier-journalist Anat Kam leaked about 2,000 top secret documents to the Haaretz reporter Ori Blau touched off a debate over press freedoms in the Jewish state.

But instead of uniting journalists against the government and the security services, the controversy has sparked infighting among the Israeli media that has muddied the waters regarding who is at fault.

Israeli officials in bind about planned visit by sheik with popular TV show.

04/07/2010

Michele Chabin

Israel Correspondent

Jerusalem — The Israeli government will have a tough choice to make if a Saudi cleric with a popular TV show makes good on his promise to broadcast from Jerusalem.

On Sunday Sheik Mohammed al-Areefi, a Muslim cleric who hosts a program with many young viewers, announced that he would be in Jerusalem next week, a claim that caught Israeli officials, and at least some Muslim officials, completely off-guard.

Local haredi rabbis seen as marriage impediment in latest “who is a Jew” dust-up.

03/31/2010

Michele Chabin

Israel Correspondent

Jerusalem — In November 2009, exactly three months before the day they were planning to get married, Maxim and Alina Surdikov went to the marriage registry in the coastal town of Ashkelon, their hometown, just as the laws requires.

The registrar pleasantly told them that before the young couple could open a file (known as a “teek”), they would have to receive permission from the town’s rabbi, Haim Blau.

The reason: Alina Surdikov, 24, who immigrated to Israel from Siberia 15 years ago, is a convert.

Local haredi rabbis seen as marriage impediment in latest "who is a Jew" dust-up.

03/29/2010

Michele Chabin

Israel Correspondent

Jerusalem - In November 2009, exactly three months before the day they were planning to get married, Maxim and Alina Surdikov went to the marriage registry in the coastal town of Ashkelon, their hometown, just as the laws requires.

The registrar pleasantly told them that before the young couple could open a file (known as a "teek"), they would have to receive permission from the town's rabbi, Haim Blau.

The reason: Alina Surdikov, 24, who immigrated to Israel from Siberia 15 years ago, is a convert.

Reports that Obama hoping prime minister
will have to include Livni in more centrist coalition.

03/18/2010

Joshua Mitnick

Israel Correspondent

Tel Aviv — Can Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — a master tightrope walker — balance between the demands of an angry U.S. administration and the insistent right flank of his governing coalition?

Can he advance down the path of negotiations with the U.S. and Palestinians while continuing to hold fast to a coalition dominated by hardliners who are opposed to territorial concessions?

Hebron-related protests subside, but the controversy has not blown over.

03/05/2010

Joshua Mitnick

Israel Correspondent

Tel Aviv — The weeklong Palestinian protests over Israel’s decision to designate two shrines in the West Bank as heritage sites subsided this week, but the controversy has not blown over.

If the government goes through with a plan to renovate religious sites like the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, there is a risk of an even worse upsurge in violence, claimed the leader of a prominent Palestinian clan in the city.

Hebron-related protests subside, but the controversy has not blown over.

03/02/2010

Joshua Mitnick

Israel Correspondent

Tel Aviv — The weeklong Palestinian protests over Israel’s decision to designate two shrines in the West Bank as heritage sites subsided this week, but the controversy has not blown over.

If the government goes through with a plan to renovate religious sites like the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, there is a risk of an even worse upsurge in violence, claimed the leader of a prominent Palestinian clan in the city.